Industry Toolkit

Year of History, Heritage and Archaeology 2017

03 September, 2017

What is it? The Year of History, Heritage and Archaeology is a Scottish Government initiative being led by VisitScotland, and supported by partners including Creative Scotland, Museums and Galleries and Scotland and many more – see the full list here.

The Year of History, Heritage and Archaeology began on 1 January 2017 and ends on 31 December 2017 and builds on the momentum generated by the 2016 Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design as well as previous years including Homecoming Scotland 2014.

What will it do? Through a series of exciting events and activity, the year will highlight and celebrate both our tangible and intangible heritage – our buildings, visitor attractions, archaeological sites as well as our diverse stories, traditions and culture, all with a focus on engagement and participation.

What are the YHHA themed year objectives?

Promotion: Raise the profile of Scotland, showcasing our distinctive history, heritage and archaeology with a co-ordinated marketing and communications programme.

Celebrate: Encourage and develop opportunities for the celebration of the key themes of the year within the tourism and events sectors.

Participate: Inspire the people of Scotland and our visitors to participate in activity developed for the Year of History, Heritage and Archaeology, with particular emphasis on attracting new audiences and spreading engagement across the country.

Collaborate: Encourage collaborative working between the sectors represented by Year of History, Heritage and Archaeology themes and wider tourism sector.

Business Engagement: Encourage tourism businesses and the wider business community to engage with the year and capitalise on opportunities by developing new products and services, and growing existing

How can businesses get involved?

Read the guide to the themed year for an overview of potential activity

Get involved in the themed year via social media and dedicated hashtags

Download the YHHA logos to use in your own materials and on your website

Access and share a range of digital guides with visitors, including a Scottish Castles trail, a step by step guide to discovering your Scottish ancestry, a timeline of Scottish literature